MURFREESBORO (AP) — A Pike County man suspected in the slayings of three family members told investigators he meant to shoot his mother-in-law but the deaths of his estranged wife and a 9-year-old niece were accidents, authorities say.

Investigators said at a Monday hearing that Timothy Hill, 43, of Delight, told officers that he was worried about losing custody of his two sons and thought his mother-in-law tried to turn the boys against him. Hill, who has not been formally charged, is jailed on $1 million bond. He did not have an attorney at Monday’s hearing. His arraignment is scheduled for next week.

Left dead in the Saturday shootings were Julie Hartsfield, 54, her daughter Dana Hill, 33, and the young girl, Autumn Hartsfield.

Prosecutor Bryan Chesshir said the couple was in the process of getting divorced.

Investigators said the couple didn’t fight when they were in the house. The state police report says Dana Hill went into the bathroom and Timothy Hill got his rifle out of a closet and went outside.

The Texarkana Gazette reported Hill said he shot the BMW his mother-in-law was sitting in, and he knew she was inside the car, according to the report. Timothy Hill then went inside.

“He pointed the rifle at (his wife) and asked her ‘Why?’ The gun then went off. He stated he meant to shoot his mother-in-law, but did not mean to shoot his wife,” according to the arrest affidavit.

“He did not know why he did (it). He then stated he did not know the little girl was in the vehicle when he shot at this mother-in-law,” according to the affidavit.

Autumn was flown to a Hot Springs hospital, where she died. She had been in the back seat of the vehicle where her grandmother was shot. The vehicle had eight bullet holes.

An officer arrested Timothy Hill nearby when he was spotted riding an ATV and carrying a rifle.

Dana Hill worked at Wadley Regional Medical Center in Hope. Julie Hartsfield was employed as a secretary in the Alumni Office at Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia.

Both locations scheduled vigils Tuesday night.

SAU Alumni Director Ceil Bridges described Hartsfield as someone who cared for her family and student workers she supervised.

“She would do anything for anyone. SAU is blessed to have had her in our family for 15 years,” he said.